Niagara Falls 



1865 not look so pure, and incredible icicles and hanging glaciers 

 obscured the outlines of the rocks, and even intruded on the 

 watercourse; whilst the trees above, laden with snow, stood up 

 like inverted icicles again, and rendered it difficult to define the 

 boundary between earth, air, and water. 



A noiseless drive brought us to the village. Clifton House was 

 deserted — the windows closed, the doors fastened. No gay 

 groups disported on the promenade; but the bird-stuff er's, the 

 Jew's museum, the photographer's shed, the Prince's triumphal 

 arch, were still extant; and the bazaars, where they sell views, 

 sea-shells, Indian beadwork and feathers, moccasons, stuffed 

 birds, and the like, were open and anxious for customers. Our 

 party was a godsend ; but the worthy Israelite, who has collected 

 such an odd museum here — one, under all the circumstances, 

 most creditable to his industry and perseverance as well as 

 liberality — said that travellers came pretty often in fine winter 

 weather to look at the cataract. We walked in our moccasons to 

 the Table Rock, and thence to the verge of the Falls, and gazed 

 in silence on the struggling fury of the terrible Rapids, which 

 seem as if they wrestled with each other like strong men contend- 

 ing against death, and fighting to the last till the fatal leap must 

 be made. 



The hateful little wooden staircases, which like black slugs 

 crawl up the precipice from the foot of the Falls, caught the eyes 

 of my companions ; and when they were informed that they could 

 go down in safety and get some way behind the Fall itself, the 

 place was invested with a new charm, and ice, rheumatism, and 

 the like, were set at defiance. I knew what it was in summer, 

 and the winter journey did not seem very tempting; but there 

 was no alternative, and the party returned to the museum to 

 prepare for the descent. 



Whilst we were waiting for our waterproof dresses to go 

 under the Falls, we had an opportunity of surveying the changes 

 produced by winter, and I was the more persuaded that the 

 effect is not so favorable as that of summer. The islands are 



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